MovieChat Forums > The Big Lebowski (1998) Discussion > I don't know why I hate this movie so mu...

I don't know why I hate this movie so much - Maybe I am the only one ...

posted 8 years ago by bruce-129
20 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie I guess based on hype when it came out, but it was a totally
confusing experience ... I did not care about the character, did not like the plot.
ugh, this was one of the worst movies I've ever seen ... I'd probably give it a
2-4/10 because it is not so awful that one cannot watch it all the way through,
though I don't understand why anyone would.

Can someone, a fan of TBL politely tell me what I am missing about this movie?
Does anyone not like it and have the guts to say it and explain?

[–] Nathan_Arizona 8 years ago

You don't HAVE to like everything. You don't even need a reason, you can just say "I don't like that." Some people like this movie, others don't.

You're not right or wrong, you just don't like the movie.

Or my isn't name...

[–] bruce-129 8 years ago

I am just so used to having online trolls with dubious brains and wisdom attacking me on questions of taste, but even on questions of fact that I steel myself for the onrush of insults every time I post something that is not overwhelmingly positive, and then even then you get it from the other side. I really would like to understand what it is about this movie people like though, I don't get it.

[–] Nathan_Arizona 8 years ago

It's not much of an ending to the movie. That drives lots of people nuts. I like the movie because the characters and their ridiculous actions.

Or my isn't name...

[–] PenTheater 8 years ago

It's not much of an ending to the movie.

Wait a minute, no ending?
The fact that the whole kidnapping was made up and The Dude had to put up with all those characters for nothing is no ending?
. Ephemeron.

[–] AP (5295) 7 years ago

He's right in that there is no ending. In the end, there was no kidnapping mystery to solve and the Dude never got a new rug, making their story a Shaggy Dog Story in which nothing was accomplished. Keep in mind, the anti-climax of the mystery occurs with a good thirty minutes or so left of the film. That time is spent with Walter beating up the Nihilists, Donnie dying of a heart attack (purposefully written as a random event by the Coen Brothers as they wanted to have a death but not have it be a consequence of anything dealing with the plot), then Donnie's funeral, then Walter and the Dude going bowling. All the characters are in the exact same place as they were when the story started besides Donnie and Maude whose pregnancy gets a brief mention.

Keep in mind, this isn't a critique of the film. The movie was made the way it was for a reason. It was never meant to have a real ending. Some people like this and others don't. As has been stated in this thread, it's up to personal taste.

[–] nikhil-scripts 8 years ago

It gave me a headache.

[–] bruce-129 8 years ago

Yeah, I just did not see anything I liked in it, or that appealed to me.

[–] jmrex 8 years ago

STFU, Donnie.

[–] colonel_inguss 8 years ago

You either like it, or you don't. It happens to be my second favorite movie of all time, right behind Empire Strikes Back. I can't stand nuts or the taste of peppercorn, but love putting ketchup on mac n cheese, and pineapple on my pizza. There's no right or wrong about any of it. You like what you like. F@ck em.

[–] RichardBlaine (303) 7 years ago

It's the characters. All of the characters but The Dude and Walter, in particular. There are levels to them. There are things about both of them that you've seen in other people that make them eminently familiar right from the start. This makes for better humor (in my estimation) than over-the-top characters, like, say, Austin Powers or Ron Burgundy. But it also makes the humor more subtle, more nuanced.

Here's the thing about this nuanced, layered film: The first time I saw it, I thought it was pretty good. Nothing great, but entertaining enough. The second time I saw it, I thought, this is very funny movie. The third time I saw it, I determined that it was the funniest film I'd ever seen. I still laugh at these characters whom I have grown to love and I've seen it like 10 or 12 times.

You started out hating it, so I wouldn't think a second or third viewing would do much for you, but that's the way it affected me, for what it's worth. It's certainly not for everybody.

[–] AP (5295) 7 years ago

I feel this way about all the Coen Brothers movies I've seen. The first time around, I think they're just okay and I have to watch a few more times to really like them.

[–] BourbonKing (5788) 7 years ago

I don't remember any hype for this movie when it came out. I've been a Coen Bros fan since their first movie and I distinctly remember this movie being panned or given a mild rating. It didn't last more than two weeks in my local theater either and quickly disappeared from the scene. It wasn't until a few years later did it seem to catch on with college age kids and started to develop a cult-status like many other films that bombed at the box office but found life later on.

The only thing you're missing is an objective approach to watching this movie, not a motivation to find satisfaction from other people's positive view of it.

[–] Bloodworth79 (5737) 7 years ago

The way the movie was made out to be as a cult classic? I don't see it. Tried a few times to watch the movie and it's just not funny.

[–] BourbonKing (5788) 7 years ago

It wasn't made with any intention to satisfy a particular demographic and its cult status was gained outside of its own creation. As for you not finding it funny that's okay, different strokes for different folks.

I never sat thru an entire viewing of Caddy Shack but I know plenty of people who LOVE that movie.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 7 years ago

That’s funny because I have the opposite problem: I don’t know why I like it so much. But I do!

[–] LemmyLugosi (411) 7 years ago

"Can someone, a fan of TBL politely tell me what I am missing about this movie?
Does anyone not like it and have the guts to say it and explain?"

I couldn't shed any light on this, because I am in the same boat you are. I don't understand how anyone can find this film funny at all.

I've seen all of the other Coen Bros. films, and I've only enjoyed two of them: Fargo and No Country For Old Men.

This dude just don't abide, I guess.

[–] ChalupaBatman99 (188) 7 years ago

The first time I saw it, I tried to keep track of who was doing what and all the plot points and what each character wanted. After watching it, I realized none of that mattered. Come to find out, some of the story and the structure is based on The Big Sleep. So the plot is supposed to be confusing and not really matter. On my subsequent viewings, I didn't worry about any of that and was just a long for the ride and the movie became fun for me.

What I like about it is the characters and the dialogue. None of it is funny in a traditional sense like how some movies funny scenes are based upon a joke or joke type dialogue or a setup and payoff. It's funny because of the situation and the characters.

One of my favorite lines is when The Dude says "Careful, man. There's a beverage here." His concern is not being manhandled by a tough or being shoved into some unfamiliar car. No, it's keeping his White Russian from spilling. On the surface the line doesn't seem funny at all. And some of it I find funny for inexplicable reasons.

And to an extent, some of it is just a matter of liking the Coens' style and humor. It's a matter of taste. Kind of like how I don't get Wes Anderson and his movies. I feel like I'm missing something but I don't understand what I'm missing. But I just don't get it.